A Whitley dad whose son was turned down for a place at the John Madejski Academy plans to lobby the council to put on a bus from Whitley to Tilehurst.

Fuming Neil Bennett wants to launch a campaign urging council-owned Reading Buses to operate the direct route after his lad Kyle, 11, was refused a place at the Whitley secondary and instead offered one at Prospect School in Tilehurst.

More than 50 South Reading children were denied their choice of the oversubscribed new academy and many will be joining Kyle on the nearly four-mile trek across town.

Kyle’s home in Hexham Road is 1.2 miles from the academy at the junction of Northumberland Avenue and Hartland Road. However, it is 3.7 miles from Prospect in Cockney Hill – more than three times the distance.

Mr Bennett, 43, said: “We thought he was going to get into the academy. This is why I am starting a campaign. I also might start a petition to send to the council.”

Mr Bennett and his former partner, Kyle’s mum Clare Sims, say they fear for their son’s safety, having to take two buses to travel across town.

Part-time dinner lady Miss Sims, who works at Reading Girls’ School and is also mum to Russell, eight, said: “I am furious. Kyle was so disappointed when he read the letter. It broke his heart.

“I am up for a bus route running directly from Whitley. I am worried about him catching two buses, and I’m sure other parents are too.”

Kyle currently attends Whitley Park Junior, a member of the Whitley Excellence Cluster.

Other schools in the cluster, of which the academy is a member, include The Avenue School, Christ the King Primary School, George Palmer Primary School, Geoffrey Field Junior School, Ridgeway Primary School and New Christ Church Primary School.

Traditionally it is expected students at primary feeders in the cluster will get a place at one of the cluster’s secondaries – the academy, and Reading Girls’.

Academy principle Catherine Shaw said: “On the one hand it is a success story, but on the other hand we are concerned for parents who have not got places and are part of the Whitley network of schools.

“We will work hard to find solutions and hope to take part in talks with the local authority. The system is as fair as it can be – there are just not enough places.”

Overall, the academy has places for 180 pupils at Year Seven. Allocation is determined according to home location and whether pupils have siblings at the school.

When asked why the academy had become so popular, despite languishing in the bottom 100 schools nationwide for recent performances at Key Stage Three, Ms Shaw attributed it to the school’s aims.

“We are dedicated to improving the lives of Whitley children,” she said.

Wokingham Borough Council has released its admissions data. The number of places available at Bulmershe was 240, Forest 200, Maiden Erlegh 278, Piggott 180, and Waingels 220.

Maiden Erlegh and Piggott were oversubscribed, with 161 pupils being turned away from the former and 62 from the latter.

At the time of going to press Reading Borough Council had not released its admissions data or responded to Mr Bennett’s and Miss Sims’ comments.